


The multiple meanings of 'together'

by flight815kitsune



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: M/M, Misunderstandings, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-16
Updated: 2015-06-16
Packaged: 2018-04-04 17:14:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4145982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flight815kitsune/pseuds/flight815kitsune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>fae-aesthetic asked: Prompt idea. Stony. Steve confessing love. Tony misunderstands.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The multiple meanings of 'together'

He can feel the hint of pink on his neck. He regularly jumped out of planes. He fought killer robots and mad scientists. He had waited for what in retrospect seemed like an excessive amount of time before finally deciding to just go for it. “You know, I think we’d be a good pair.” 

And Tony  tears his gaze away from the screen and stares at him for just a second, more of a glance really, before nodding. 

That’s it. Not even a half-interested grunt.

“Tony?”

“Yeah.”

“You heard what I said?”

“Yep.” His lips pop on the final letter. 

“And…?”

“I’ll move back in on Thursday.”

_

He hadn’t been entirely sure what to expect out of a relationship with Tony Stark. 

He had expected to be dragged to every function. Those galas and parties with celebrities, friends, rivals, and government officials that Tony was always the one to go to. Tony knew how to manipulate these people. Even if he hated Tony’s media grin (it was as flashy and sharp as Tony himself was in  public. His private smile made his face crinkle in all the ways the tabloids hated.), he had to admit that it got things accomplished. It was all too familiar to not be the center of attention. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

“You’re always doing that.” He offered, the hundredth time Tony had misdirected and stolen a conversation, only to lead his audience away and return alone.

“Doing what?” He grabs a glass from a nearby server and downs more of it than was probably polite.

“Stealing the spotlight.” He stares into his own drink, watching the bubbles play at the surface. 

“Well, yeah. You stand at parade rest and get this twitch in your eye if I let them inflict themselves on you for too long. Don’t worry about it.” He let their shoulders bump. “I got your back, Cap.”

 

He had expected the gifts that just kept appearing. The usually helpful gifts that nonetheless had involved a lot of money and effort to make happen. 

New body armor. A better bed. What might be the most comfortable pair of shoes he’s ever worn. The latest Stark technology. A new bike. 

He had no doubt that anything he could ask for would be given without a second thought. It was overwhelming. There was nothing he could give in return except his presence and for some reason, that seemed to be enough.

They talked. They talked about the team, about recent fights, about recent shows and movies. He referred to the team as “the kids”. 

 

Steve shook his head, “I’m pretty sure half of them are older than me.”

 

“Only if you don’t count cold storage.”

“Tony.” He kept discouraging it, even if bringing it up hurt a little less each time.

“It’s fine. We’re still the hottest dads any of them could ask for.” And if he noticed the hint of pink that smile brought to his ears, Tony didn’t comment on that.

It wasn’t just that, though. They talked about the future, about the past, about dreams and sometimes they didn’t need words at all, just the other’s presence.

Tony didn’t shy away from physical contact. Even if it was just some strange way of using him as furniture at times, a guiding hand in the small of his back, contact where their sides pressed together as they lounged on the sofa.  He stole food from him, including in one memorable instance a donut with a bite already taken out of it.  He never shook off a touch, either. When he had covered one of Tony’s hands with his during movie night, Tony had barely looked before spreading his fingers. When he put his arm over the back of the couch to let his hand rest on Tony’s shoulder, he had edged closer so that their thighs touched. The first time he had run his fingers through Tony’s hair, Tony had sat straighter in his seat, but he hadn’t pulled away or told him to stop. Now Tony leaned into a thumb stroking the back of his neck. He had fallen asleep with his head resting on Steve’s chest dozens of times.

But that was as far as it had ever gone. With as many rumors that had buzzed around about Tony and physical desires, they had only kissed once. And even then Tony had been drunk. He didn’t regret it. Even drunk, Tony could kiss. There were times before and after, too. Where they’d be so close, and sometimes Tony’s touch would linger on his shoulder and he would be so sure that they were going to kiss until Tony pulled away. 

His own last attempt had been less than graceful. Tony had been talking about how he was improving the signal quality on the comm system. If he had had the time to research what exactly he was talking about, he might have had a chance to keep up. Instead he was mostly just listening, trying to put the ideas together. Tony had just looked so incredibly in his element that he had leaned forward, intending to kiss his cheek. Tony had turned too quickly, causing a (albeit short-lived) bloody nose. 

He wasn’t sure what the delay was. Was it because he was a man? some illusion of propriety? Because of who he was? Or did Tony simply treat everyone he was interested in with this kind of time? Asking Pepper seemed rude. 

Asking War Machine also seemed rude, but at least there wasn’t the awkwardness of him being a former flame. Plus, he  had seen the way Rhodes glanced at them. He knew. 

“How long does Tony usually wait before sweeping someone off their feet?” It was a casual sentence at the end of a run. Sam was a more talkative running partner. James Rhodes ran like it was a responsibility, not an escape. 

“That depends on the person.” He takes a drink, “I’ve seen him seduce someone, disappear, and come back with another person on his arm in the span of 20 minutes. But Pepper was complicated, and that took… months, at least, once things were headed that way.”

“Oh.” He doesn’t know if he sounds more relieved or disappointed. Either way it earns him a look. 

“…Right.”

-

He was used to the media circus each time they went anywhere, or left anywhere. Some days were worse than others. This was a bad day, one of the ones where cameras and microphone were everywhere. They were riding on post-fight popularity after the recent incident involving a magic portal in central park. 

While most of the questions had been focused on things he could not comment on, one of the many cuts through the noise just as he’s climbing into Tony’s car. 

“How long have you and Mr. Stark been a couple?”

A question he could answer. “I… Six weeks.”  

He was greeted by Tony’s frown when he shut the door. 

“What?”

“You shouldn’t answer them like that.”

“Why not?”

“Well, for one thing, they’re going to have that comment featured on every channel, website, and gossip rag. There won’t be a person in the western world who hasn’t heard it within the next 48 hours.”

“Oh.” He knew how the news was now. What they considered news. He should have known it would spread like wildfire. 

“It’s fine.” Tony dismissed it with a wave. “But you’re the one who has to apologize to Pepper for making her life harder as she fixes this.”

He watched the world pass by through tinted windows. “I didn’t realize it was a secret.”

Tony’s phone went off, but he didn’t answer it. 

When they got back to the tower, he remained in the car.

-

“Rhodey. I messed up.”

“Tony?” He mumbled into his pillow. “It’s two in the morning.”

Tony sat on the edge of the bed.

“Please tell me something you were working on didn’t backfire spectacularly.”

“Steve and I have been together for six weeks.”

“Mmmm.” Sleep was looking really good. He didn’t have time for Tony’s love life drama.

“I only found out tonight.”

And he was awake.

“Right. So, Start from the beginning.” He stifles a yawn and stretches. **  
**

“When I moved in, I think Steve thought we were boyfriends.”

“Right. So did everyone else.”

“That’s… Everyone? That doesn’t seem right.”

“You were cuddling on the couch and kept giving him all the good upgrades.”

“ I thought it was just a thing, like how in some other countries guys hold hands. Plus, it made him smile, and not in one of those “Going to punch something to death” ways. He’s lonely, and the team leader comes with some perks. I just thought… him and Bucky. We’ve all read the speculation, and then the guy shows up and turns everything upside down.  But he’s been looking for Bucky for MONTHS.”

“Right. The only possible reason for someone to search for someone is because they want to get into their pants.” He rolls his eyes.

Tony continues as though he hadn’t said anything at all. “I can’t compete with that. They’ve got the whole shared life experiences, known each other forever, supersoldiers in tight clothes thing going for them. Plus the arm. I am the last person to judge if the arm is a thing.”

“Tony.”

“I mean, even Nat would have more sense. She’s the one he went on his magical spy adventure with, not that there was other so-called teammates he could have been calling or anything.”

“Tony.”

“Or Sam! You’ve seen the way they are when we’re training.”

He puts his hand on Tony’s shoulder and looks him in the eye. “As entertaining as this train of logic is, he chose you.”

“But-”

“Now, I hate to say it, but I told you so. When I asked, before, if you guys were dating and you said no but I said you were lying?”

Tony’s glare lacked any real bite.

“Well, I guess the main question here is if you are interested in going out with Steve. Oh, right. I’ve seen the Captain America room and been exposed to more texts about the exact shade of Steve’s eyes than I had ever expected.”

Tony’s protest, which the both of them knew was only for appearances anyway, is silenced by a single word- “Azure.”

He concedes with a shrug.

“A normal person would tell him what was going on, but this is you we’re talking about. Just start treating it like an actual relationship. He outed you guys, just roll with it.”

-

Steve wakes up to the smell of smoke and cautiously ventures into the kitchen, shield in hand.

It really shouldn’t surprise him when Tony is at the center of it.

“I was trying to make breakfast.” Is the excuse.

“We can go out?” He offers.

“We can go out.” Tony confirms.

Tony’s hand doesn’t leave his back until they’re in the cafe, when he pulls away to get the door.

He does not do the weird half-flirting persona with the barista, which had apparently bothered him more than he thought it had.

He buys the drinks. (Doesn’t he always?)

His comment of “Something sweet, like you.” about his choice in drink shouldn’t make him smile.

Laces their fingers together whenever they’re side by side.

Kisses him. Just quick pecks to the cheek and, in one case, the tip of his nose.

The first time he flips up the faceplate and steals a kiss on the battlefield, only to pull away and have it come down to cover the sloppy grin on his face, it leaves him speechless.

Clint wolf-whistles.

He doesn’t leave his side at all at parties.

They’re touching all the time, which he doesn’t really  _mind_ , but he does wish there were five seconds for him to explore without a hand in the small of his back.

The way tony introduces him sometimes feels like he’s showing off some kind of trophy. Sometimes he feels like there’s a stage and he’s the only one on it.

He and Tony sometimes clash when one goes to put his arm on the back of the couch only to find the other already there.

Tony kept buying him food? Not necessarily high quality, fancy meals either. Fast food. Snacks. If he would leave for the kitchen he’d always ask if he wanted anything.

The stuffed animal was the last straw. It was huge, and didn’t fit the theme of his floor at all.

He didn’t want to go to Pepper. She came to him. There had to have been a purpose, but whatever it was was lost at the sight of the plush abomination. She saw the look he was giving the…dog? and gave him a pitying pat on the back.

“Do you have any idea what’s gotten into Tony?” Part of him was afraid to look away, lest it replace itself with something worse when his gaze left it.

“He does that.” Her eyes held the thread of sadness he had been fearing when he had avoided her before. He’d seen the regret in Tony’s eyes, too.  Just because something is mutual doesn’t mean it can’t hurt.

“He didn’t, before.”

“Well, maybe it feels real, now that half the world’s media is covering it?”

“Sorry about that.”

“Trust me, I’ve handled worse. Just… don’t let him make you forget that he’s not the face he wears in public all the time.”

-

He’s greeted with Tony’s hand cupping him, with his other hand pushing him against the wall and those lips on his throat. He’d be lying if he said this wasn’t exactly what he pictured, but it was such a complete turnaround from before that he just couldn’t go along with it. “Tony, I think we need to talk.”

“Oh god.”

“I didn’t mean to change anything when I said that. If you wanted to stay the way we were before, well, I’m in no rush.”

“I knew it. I can’t fix this-”

Tony’s got a look like a caged animal. Uncertainty and sleep deprivation.

“When’s the last time you slept?”

“Tueeesdaaay?” He stretches the word out into a question.

“You know that’s not good for you.” He puts more space between them. Not like this.

“Couldn’t sleep.” He shrugs.

There would be time to talk tomorrow, when Tony wasn’t exhausted. “Watch something with me?”

Tony gets the crease, the ont he gets when he knows there’s a plan he’s not in on, but agrees anyway.

His arm around Tony’s shoulder, a bad movie playing in the background, soft breathing sometimes the only sound besides the cheesy soundtrack- it was the first time in days this felt normal.

He can tell two things the instant he’s awake. The first is that he’s not alone. The second is that the other person is also awake. He doesn’t move until the memory of how he ended up in this position comes crashing in.

“I know you’re awake.”

“Yeah. But no one’s bothering us when we’re like this.”

He can’t help the smile.

Tony moves, and for a moment he thinks that he’s going to leave.

Then, those lips press against his.

And this kiss, this one was like the one before in all the ways he wanted it to be. There was still the hint of roughness from Tony’s facial hair, a contrast to the softness of his mouth. There were still Tony’s fingers on the nape of his neck. Tony pulling him down to his level, not a demand. A request. It was heartachingly slow for a man not known to take his time. It was nothing that he couldn’t back out of if the whim took him. Tony tasted like- well, like morning breath, honestly. But even that was a step above the bitter alcohol of the last time. They part, only for Tony to bring them together again in a process that repeats for what feels like forever but was most likely only a few moments.

“Alright, boys. Don’t make me get the hose.” The smile in Natasha’s  voice was more than what quirked her lips. “Not that I’m not proud Tony figured it out, but this is a communal level.”

“Figured what out?”

Tony just grabs his hand with a “You heard the woman. This is a communal level.”


End file.
